I Am Wasting Away - Please Help! :(

On the advice of my doctor, I went gluten-free about 3 months ago - more stringently so 2 months ago - and started to feel so much better. It would be an essay to write my medical history so I will skip that for now. But I was starting to see some real results for the first time in a decade, being gluten-free.

Problem is, I keep losing weight. I am little to begin with at 5'2 but as of 2 weeks ago my weight was down to 97 lbs, the thinnest I have been since about age 14! It was just getting scary, so I decided I had to do whatever it took to gain weight. I switched from my gluten-free cereal and started making home-made granola, and made almond butter rice crispie treats with the same cereal for snacks, and started eating these things constantly. My weight began to come up (I gained 5 lbs in 3 days!) but I also started feeling REALLY REALLY BAD.

I cannot tolerate any sugar other than the sort that diabetics would use and discovered that I do not react well at all to what I was using as a sweetener (brown rice syrup). I know that the syrup is one reason for my feeling lousy but I am now worried, what if I can't tolerate oats (I've had problems with granola in the past and have read that many of us can't eat oats. I did use gluten-free ones.) and therefore I don't want to make a new batch of granola and perhaps make this horrible feeling last any longer. I also discovered that the gluten-free rice cereal that I've been eating is sweetened with brown rice syrup too! So I can't make my rice krispie treats and have nothing "safe" for breakfast.

My weight is going down again and I am hungry and miserable and feeling physically terrible. I don't know what to eat to fatten myself up. I have heard that many processed gluten-free foods come with CC issues...I just want to feel better. Can anyone help me. I feel like crying right now as I write this.

Other info: Can't have dairy, corn, eggs, sugar (though I can have fructose...) My lunch and dinners I eat as much as I can of veggies and lean meat or chicken, and brown rice. Breakfasts I have no idea what to do now. And I need fattening snacks as I am really hungry in between meals, clearly a sign my body needs more food.

One thing I would like to add is nuts, but do those need to be certified gluten-free? I am so overwhelmed right now and all I want to do is eat some things that won't result in my feeling terrible.

On the advice of my doctor, I went gluten-free about 3 months ago - more stringently so 2 months ago - and started to feel so much better. It would be an essay to write my medical history so I will skip that for now. But I was starting to see some real results for the first time in a decade, being gluten-free.

Problem is, I keep losing weight. I am little to begin with at 5'2 but as of 2 weeks ago my weight was down to 97 lbs, the thinnest I have been since about age 14! It was just getting scary, so I decided I had to do whatever it took to gain weight. I switched from my gluten-free cereal and started making home-made granola, and made almond butter rice crispie treats with the same cereal for snacks, and started eating these things constantly. My weight began to come up (I gained 5 lbs in 3 days!) but I also started feeling REALLY REALLY BAD.

I cannot tolerate any sugar other than the sort that diabetics would use and discovered that I do not react well at all to what I was using as a sweetener (brown rice syrup). I know that the syrup is one reason for my feeling lousy but I am now worried, what if I can't tolerate oats (I've had problems with granola in the past and have read that many of us can't eat oats. I did use gluten-free ones.) and therefore I don't want to make a new batch of granola and perhaps make this horrible feeling last any longer. I also discovered that the gluten-free rice cereal that I've been eating is sweetened with brown rice syrup too! So I can't make my rice krispie treats and have nothing "safe" for breakfast.

My weight is going down again and I am hungry and miserable and feeling physically terrible. I don't know what to eat to fatten myself up. I have heard that many processed gluten-free foods come with CC issues...I just want to feel better. Can anyone help me. I feel like crying right now as I write this.

Other info: Can't have dairy, corn, eggs, sugar (though I can have fructose...) My lunch and dinners I eat as much as I can of veggies and lean meat or chicken, and brown rice. Breakfasts I have no idea what to do now. And I need fattening snacks as I am really hungry in between meals, clearly a sign my body needs more food.

One thing I would like to add is nuts, but do those need to be certified gluten-free? I am so overwhelmed right now and all I want to do is eat some things that won't result in my feeling terrible.

I'll share this with you so you don't feel alone. I am 5'1" and under 100 lbs. I lost alot of weight suddenly and had problems with sugar-had an especially hard time after making my own homemade granola bars. I got tested for diabetes and have it. Not the end of the world. I used to weigh close to 95 but dropped down to 77 before dx. Scary! I have some of the same food allergies you do. I also am allergic to dairy and don't tolerate eggs well.

I increased my protein and gained weight with that alone-10 lbs, but took 2 years of consistant effort. You should not worry about fat. If you currently eat lean ground, change to the next fat percentage up-80/20. I did that. Eat meat at every meal, every day. If you eat 2 slices of deli meat, increase it to 3, then 4. That's what I did and it worked. It also helps slow digestion and help keep the carbs from spiking your blood sugar, better than if you eat carbs alone.

Nuts are good as are nut or seed butters-almond, peanut, sunflower, soy. Whatever you can tolerate. Unless the package says processed on shared lines, the plain nuts should be fine.

Those cereal bars you made might have been too high in carbs, from the sweeteners plus the cereals themselves. though you could certainly have issues with the ingredients.

Avacados are a good source of calories and fats.

Microwave sweet potatoes are a good breakfast food. Earthbalance is a good dairy-free spread like butter. Sprinkle on some cinnamon.

Coconut oil is expensive but is a good fat to put on things like those sweet potatoes. Brown rice, in moderation with a meat is a good breakfast. I make my own sausage patties with ground pork and seasonings/herbs. Tastes good with brown rice.

With all dairy off the menue and no eggs etc for me, I struggle to get fats and calories in. I actually take the bacon grease and put a coffee filter on an open glass jar and strain the grease through it and keep it in the fridge and use that for sauteeing things or on things like butter. I make a half or whole pound of bacon in the oven and store it in the fridge, then put it between two paper towels and microwave it 20 second or less in the a.m. I ate alot of bacon when I was trying to gain weight.

You can parboil potatoes and slice or chop them and sautee them in a pan with oil, onion, bell pepper and ham and keep it in the fridge and warm it up in the a.m. for breakfast.

Quinoa is also a good grain and fast cooking-10 min. Some here put dried fruits, apple, cinnamon, etc in it to make it more breakfasty.

On the advice of my doctor, I went gluten-free about 3 months ago - more stringently so 2 months ago - and started to feel so much better. It would be an essay to write my medical history so I will skip that for now. But I was starting to see some real results for the first time in a decade, being gluten-free.

Problem is, I keep losing weight. I am little to begin with at 5'2 but as of 2 weeks ago my weight was down to 97 lbs, the thinnest I have been since about age 14! It was just getting scary, so I decided I had to do whatever it took to gain weight. I switched from my gluten-free cereal and started making home-made granola, and made almond butter rice crispie treats with the same cereal for snacks, and started eating these things constantly. My weight began to come up (I gained 5 lbs in 3 days!) but I also started feeling REALLY REALLY BAD.

I cannot tolerate any sugar other than the sort that diabetics would use and discovered that I do not react well at all to what I was using as a sweetener (brown rice syrup). I know that the syrup is one reason for my feeling lousy but I am now worried, what if I can't tolerate oats (I've had problems with granola in the past and have read that many of us can't eat oats. I did use gluten-free ones.) and therefore I don't want to make a new batch of granola and perhaps make this horrible feeling last any longer. I also discovered that the gluten-free rice cereal that I've been eating is sweetened with brown rice syrup too! So I can't make my rice krispie treats and have nothing "safe" for breakfast.

My weight is going down again and I am hungry and miserable and feeling physically terrible. I don't know what to eat to fatten myself up. I have heard that many processed gluten-free foods come with CC issues...I just want to feel better. Can anyone help me. I feel like crying right now as I write this.

Other info: Can't have dairy, corn, eggs, sugar (though I can have fructose...) My lunch and dinners I eat as much as I can of veggies and lean meat or chicken, and brown rice. Breakfasts I have no idea what to do now. And I need fattening snacks as I am really hungry in between meals, clearly a sign my body needs more food.

One thing I would like to add is nuts, but do those need to be certified gluten-free? I am so overwhelmed right now and all I want to do is eat some things that won't result in my feeling terrible.

For breakfast try a slice of ham browned on a skillet and toss a sliced tomato in the skillet, too. It will caramelize and get sweet. Add salt and pepper. I also add fruit like an apple or grapes. That's my new fave.

Nuts are great, along with a carb/veggie like sliced bell peppers, etc. just check the ingredients list in the nuts for wheat or anything else that bothers you. If you have a Trader Joe's nearby they have a great nut selection. I think Blue Diamond has additive-free nuts. Look in the baking section.

Try looking up some gluten-free coconut baked-goods recipes. They will be high in fats.

Good advice on increasing protein....eat it like you were eating your rice krispy treats...it will heal your body. Check out Paleo diets which focus on protein, veggies, nuts and some fruit. The Paleo way of eating is perfect for Celiacs and those with blood sugar problems. Check out Mark's Daily Apple.com

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Healing is a matter of time, but it is sometimes also a matter of opportunity.
--Hippocrates

Thanks for your replies, I do appreciate it. I will go and buy a lot of nuts tomorrow! And look into some of the other suggestions you both made. Missy'sMom, you sound just like me! Though I have been tested and am not diabetic, I just have wonky blood sugar issues if I eat the wrong things.

The breakfast thing is tough for me because the idea of having a meat or hot cereal in the morning grosses me out. I have had cold breakfast cereal my entire life. I can do bacon...maybe I'll start there.

I am wondering about adding protein powders / maybe having a juice and protein shake in the morning? Is it possible to take in too much protein (health-wise)?

I already know it's all worth it, given how I was starting to feel before this setback, but I've gotta say, this still really sucks.

Thanks for your replies, I do appreciate it. I will go and buy a lot of nuts tomorrow! And look into some of the other suggestions you both made. Missy'sMom, you sound just like me! Though I have been tested and am not diabetic, I just have wonky blood sugar issues if I eat the wrong things.

The breakfast thing is tough for me because the idea of having a meat or hot cereal in the morning grosses me out. I have had cold breakfast cereal my entire life. I can do bacon...maybe I'll start there.

I am wondering about adding protein powders / maybe having a juice and protein shake in the morning? Is it possible to take in too much protein (health-wise)?

I already know it's all worth it, given how I was starting to feel before this setback, but I've gotta say, this still really sucks.

If its a cold/hot thing try a cold cut (Hormel has a gluten-free, natural one).

Stay away from the juices, IMO. Even with protein powder added its a lot of sugar.

Thanks for your replies, I do appreciate it. I will go and buy a lot of nuts tomorrow! And look into some of the other suggestions you both made. Missy'sMom, you sound just like me! Though I have been tested and am not diabetic, I just have wonky blood sugar issues if I eat the wrong things.

The breakfast thing is tough for me because the idea of having a meat or hot cereal in the morning grosses me out. I have had cold breakfast cereal my entire life. I can do bacon...maybe I'll start there.

I am wondering about adding protein powders / maybe having a juice and protein shake in the morning? Is it possible to take in too much protein (health-wise)?

I already know it's all worth it, given how I was starting to feel before this setback, but I've gotta say, this still really sucks.

Unless you are into some athletic things and consuming lots of protein supplements you can't get too much protein. I agree with the other poster that protein powders have sugars and may/may not work for those with blood sugar issues. Juice is definitely a no-no with those who have unstable blood sugar, especially in the morning.

Paleo and Mark's Daily Apple are very good suggestions.

I really don't like meat that much either but my body responds so well to it that I made my peace with the forms I could tolerate. I had to up it slowly for that reason. Just an extra slice, then one more as I got used to it. For other meats, I upped it by an ounce at a time.

Not to bug you about diabetes but what kind of test did you get? Just a fasting blood sugar is not a good indicator. I can still pass the fasting test and I have slow onset, autoimmune Type 1. I can pass it with no meds or insulin used. I was tested with oral glucose tolerance test and my BG can go sky high so fast, but my fasting can still be normal. If you just had a fasting, one time, BG check, you might consider a test that will give more data and be reflective of more than just one point in time. You also might want to consider getting a meter and testing after meals. If I eat a low-carb meal I don't need insulin but if I eat faster acting carbs-grains, fruits, starchy vegetables then I take insulin. I don't take any medication, other than insulin as needed, as I mentioned.

It is possible to have blood sugar out of balance symptoms and not be diabetic and maybe it will resolve after being gluten-free for a while, some seem to but I didn't. I spent many years before dx thinking I was "just more sensitive than others" to what I ate. Keep an eye on it. These things are easier to mange the earlier they are caught.

Blue Diamond and Trader Joes are good suggestions for nuts. TJ's is a good buy-more for less$.

I hear from many that the artificial sweeteners cause GI and other issues. Have you tried stevia?

Also there are some flax crackers out there that you could use for breakfast or snack that have lower/minimal impact on blood sugar. Some are pretty much only flax and others have some gluten-free flours added so there is some difference. The pure flax will have the least BG impact.

Forget about the "lean" and start eating full fat whenever you can. It will really help with fullness. Have you considered the gaps diet? You can leave out the dairy and eggs if you have an allergy. Ifit is not a serious IgE allergy you may be able to eventually introduce some forms. I have a post about preparing nuts for eating on my blog that might interest you.

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Our family is transitioning off the GAPS Intro Diet and into the Full GAPS Diet.
Gluten-Free since November 2010
GAPS Diet since January/February 2011
me - not tested for celiac - currently doing a gluten challenge since 11/26/2011
partner - not tested for celiac
ds - age 11, hospitalized 9/2010, celiac dx by gluten reaction & genetics. No biopsy or blood as we were already gluten-free by the time it was an option.
dd - age 12.5, not celiac, has Tourette's syndome
both kids have now-resolved attention issues.

I guess what I can tell you is that you are not alone. This is what has worked for me so far.

I am 5'0 ft and was 61 lbs at my worst.

I cannot tolerate alcohol, caffeine soy, dairy, corn, eggs, potato, sugar or sweetener (except stevia or nativa). Anything processed, anything that contains starch or anything that contains grains also are not well tolerated with me.

I was 68 lbs when I started this last month.

The solution for me was to make a big bunch of soup for the week and freeze what you won't use in the next day or so and take it out as you need. Use homemade stock, as much meat as you think you can handle, as many vegetables as you can pack in, and add things like herbs, spices, oil, coconut milk, avocado to pack in more fat. Make different types, as you will need variety.

If you eat homemade soup 3 times a day along, and eat vegetables and meat as a meal another 2 or 3 times a day, you will start to gain weight. You need to eat 5-6 times a day, maybe more if you're not gaining. You need to take digestive enzymes or papaya or pineapple extract so you can start absorbing your food. Probiotics help a lot. Optional extras I chose to use are L-Glutamine and Colostrum.

After a month of this, the other day I managed to keep down some organic, grass fed, unhomigenized milk for the first time yesterday. No D, no vomiting and not even any stomach pain. I won't be making a habit of drinking it, but it's nice to know it's working. I'm now at 78 lbs and still rising.

I hope you find something that works for you from the posters here. Goodluck.

Wow, there are so many good suggestions, I confess with my wicked brain fog I find it all a bit overwhelming! I think I will have to create a doc and pull out all your ideas and see what will work for me.

I was a near-vegetarian for over a decade and only started eating lean red meat 2 years ago when I was pregnant. I...tolerate and very occasionally enjoy it now so upping it is a challenge to what seems to be a built-in yuck factor. Of course I will try to do it :OP since I don't want to be that person that no one can see when she turns sideways.

I have been eating home made gluten-free muffins the past couple of days that my dear hubby baked for me and they seem to be agreeing with me. I am holding at 103 lbs so at least that's a start anyway. I wonder though if muffins might be too high in carbs? I am confused about nutrition in general. I'm not sure what my carb level should be and how much of a concern it is. It is relevant because I have had a yeast / candida problem for 15 months straight, no joke, so I do have to keep that in mind.

Lots of you suggest upping my fat intake but isn't that bad for heart health (or am I just programmed to think that way??)

As far as diabetes is concerned - I had gestational diabetes (not surprising as I was pregnant at age 40, pretty common) for which I tested my blood daily and which I was able to control entirely by my diet. After my pregnancy all they did was a straight blood test (don't recall if it was fasting but I'm inclined to say it wasn't. I was a little confused but the doc said they could tell from that.?) In any case my mom and I have always had to avoid not only sugars but a whole bunch of foods that whack out our blood sugar and cause a whole host of other symptoms (ha! for the first time I feel I can say that to a group of people who probably won't find it weird or surprising or be skeptical of it!). This most recent problem with my blood sugars was totally related to eating all that brown rice syrup, which I thought was okay for diabetics but turns out is not. As I said before, I can tolerate diabetic-approved sweeteners. Stevia would be *perfect* and also great for the yeast problem except it is literally the 1 thing that gives me gastro problems. I don't even get gastro problems from gluten...

Okay this is getting way too long, I do apologize. I will go start pulling info from all your suggestions and try to formulate a fattening plan!

Oh, I meant to ask everyone, what about lentils and chick peas and such things? I was thinking that these might be good non-meat options for upping my protein, but I don't know where they stand carb-wise...

Regarding fat- Full fat is good for you. Do some reading at Mark's Daily Apple and I'm sure there are other places too that can expalin the benefits of fat. I have no problem digesting fats now that I am long-term gluten free. Your body will adjust. Your body needs fat and your brain and heart work well on it. It flies in the face of traditional medicine, but the more progressive cardiologists are recommending Paleo diets to their patients and they are getting great results. Blood pressure goes down, blood sugars stabilize, weight normalizes, energy skyrockets...there is nothing bad about it.

The yuck factor- I had a hard time ingesting as much meat as was necessary to maintain muscle mass, but if you don't your body will consume it's own muscles. Your protein intake has to be high enough to maintain what you have in the way of muscle and higher still if you want to gain muscle. Slow increases worked for me. And eating really good meat. The best you can afford. I have no problem eating steak for breakfast now. I would feel a little nauseated in the beginning...but that has disappeared and now I crave meat if I do not get enough.

Can you get too much protein? It's really not likely that you could eat too much protein. Protein is self-limiting in humans. You will feel completely full and nauseated if you eat too much. Have you ever heard of anyone eating a whole carton of eggs? No, it isn't like chocolate or sugar where your body keeps telling you to eat more. When your body craves sugar, what it really needs is protein. It gets out of whack and starts pumping too much insulin if you eat too many carbs and starches. The pancreas' job is to store fat. So when you ingest carbs and starches your body sorta thinks there is a famine because you are not eating meat. Must not be adequate food around. So it quickly stores the carbs and starches as fat and waits for you to find food and ingest protein. This is just an analogy for the way the body responds to paleo eating or low carb.

Chick peas and lentils are the lowest starch beans so they can be a good source of protein but you cannot rely too heavily on them without tipping the balance on carbs. Meat, chicken, turkey are even better.

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Healing is a matter of time, but it is sometimes also a matter of opportunity.
--Hippocrates